A notoriously difficult hole, which has probably been cursed more often than it's been admired, is to be lost to Irish golf. Clontarf GC are being forced to rebuild their 12th because of insurance problems arising from balls sailing over the fence and onto Collins Avenue.
The club have also been obliged to bring Tom Craddock in to redesign the first into a dog-leg, because of balls going out onto Donnycarney Road. But the 419yard, par four 12th, which has been in existence for 70 years and is the club's fearsome Index One, will be a far more serious loss.
Its challenge involved out of bounds right off the tee; a plateau, followed by a drop down to the quarry with two water hazards; then a rise to a plateau green. For the medium to high handicap player it was a three-shotter (three-wood, seven-iron, wedge), but for Philip Walton recently, it was simply two six-irons.
Harry Bradshaw once had a nine there - "God knows how many times I was in the water". Indeed The Brad later carded a 10 at the hole during the Irish Dunlop Tournament, won by Nicky Lynch in 1961.
It also caused grief to the great Walter Hagen during an exhibition match in May 1928. Partnering the local professional, Jack Quinn, in a four-ball match against Willie Holley and Willie Nolan - which the Irish pair won by 4 and 3 - the best the American could manage at the 12th was a six.
More recently, Michael McDonnell, golf correspondent of the Daily Mail, was less than enamoured of the challenge. Following a visit to the club in 1994, he gave it honourable mention among his "Dirty Dozen" nightmare holes, in an article for Today's Golfer.
Founded in 1912, Clontarf retains the distinction of being the only golf course in the world to be located within two miles of the centre of a capital city. But in common with other parkland courses in the greater Dublin area - Dun Laoghaire and Elm Park are also prime examples - it is being squeezed by the houses and infrastructure surrounding it. Indeed the club's problems highlight a decidedly curious aspect of the property market.
Build a house overlooking a golf course and its value will be enhanced probably by as much as 10 per cent. "It's a bit like having a sea view, and there's a virtual guarantee that the land is not going to be sold for development," said Peter Kenny of Gunne Estate Agents.
Still, despite being aware from the outset of the danger of encroaching golf-balls, the same householder, with his significantly-enhanced property, will not hesitate to threaten the future viability of the golf club through litigation. All of which has meant clubs having to cope with skyrocketing insurance costs.
In accordance with insurance company advice, the club have redesigned the par-four first, which now involves internal out of bounds on the left and a medium to long-iron tee-shot away from the boundary with Donnycarney Road. Meanwhile, the re-design of the 12th will also mean yet another reconstruction of the 13th.
This is an area of the course which causes considerable security problems for the club because of trespassing by what have become euphemistically known as country members. The problem has been going on for years, and one memorable incident occurred on a summer's evening when a four-ball were playing the 13th, only to be confronted by a group of youngsters engaged in a football match.
As the intruders began to scamper away, a member grabbed one of them and asked: "Don't you know you're trespassing?" To which the youngster gave the classic reply: "Sorry Mister. I didn't know. I'm with the away team."
From the days when they had a 12-hole course, Clontarf GC have a sporting lease from Dublin Corporation, but the club actually own the land on which the 12th to the 17th holes are built. So, when their insurers advised then to relocate the 12th green down in the quarry, they had the option of selling the existing green.
Measuring 0.45 acres and opening onto Collins Avenue, it would probably have realised upwards of £220,000 if put up for auction. Quite understandably, however, the membership decided at a recent e.g.m. to retain the land, if only to try to make their boundaries more secure.
So, with plans to spend £240,000 on new holes, new boundary fencing and an upgraded watering system, the members will each be levied £240. When completed, the new 12th will be 396 yards - 23 yards shorter than the old one.
It is expected to be brought into play for the first time at the club's annual Open Mixed Foursomes in May, and designer Craddock is confident of its success. "It will certainly deserve to retain Index One status," he said.
Ah yes. But if The Brad were still around, would it cause him to take a humbling 10? Or be worthy of inclusion among most golfers' dirty dozen?
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